Your care in pregnancy

If you are over 16 weeks and are experiencing any of the below or have any other urgent concerns please call the triage line on 0118 322 7304.

• Change in fetal movement
• Preeclampsia symptoms: severe headaches, swelling to hands feet and face, any visual disturbances
• Vaginal bleeding or any vaginal loss
• Abdominal pain
• Think your waters have broken
• Think labour has started

If you are less than 16 weeks and experiencing any of the above, please call your GP or 111.

For non urgent concerns please contact the community midwives office: 0118 322 8059

Useful contact numbers for maternity service users

Please make sure you read this leaflet before your 12 week ultrasound. You will be asked to complete a consent form for screening on the day of your scan. If you have any questions please talk to your midwife.

You will have a routine ultrasound around 12 and 20 weeks.

You will have regular appointments with your midwife throughout your pregnancy. 

There is lots of information for you to read during your pregnancy.

It is important to think about where you would like to give birth. There is more information here on the available choices for your place of birth. Your midwife will discuss this with you during your appointments.

• Chaperones
• Birth partners information 
• Caesarean birth partners information 
• Requesting same sex healthcare professionals 

For urgent concerns regarding your baby’s movements after 16 weeks please call the Triage line: 01183227304 (open 24/7). If you are less than 16 weeks please contact your GP or 111

There is more information here about baby movements

A carbon monoxide test will be done at each of your antenatal appointments regardless of your smoking status. 

You can also find help here to stop smoking

It is important to keep well during your pregnancy, there is lots of advice and information here.

• Vitamin D for pregnancy and breastfeeding

• https://www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/leaflets/caring-for-your-body-in-pregnancy-physio-advice 

• https://www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/leaflets/pregnancy-related-pelvic-girdle-pain-pgp-physio-advice 

• https://www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/leaflets/taking-iron-supplements 

• https://www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/leaflets/low-dose-aspirin-in-pregnancy

• https://www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/leaflets/diabetes-screening-in-maternity 

It is recommended you have your vaccines to help protect you and your baby. During your pregnancy it is important to have: 

• Flu vaccine - this is seasonal and can be given anytime through your pregnancy
• Covid vaccine - this is seasonal and can be given anytime through your pregnancy
• RSV vaccine - this will offer to you at 28 weeks, you will receive a message from us to book your appointment
• Whooping cough - you can have this vaccination between 20 - 32 weeks

Please talk to your midwife if you have any concerns or need help booking your vaccine appointments.

You may be feeling unsure how covid could affect you and your baby, this leaflet helps to provide advice and what to do if you think you have covid.

If this is your first baby, please book onto our free 6 hour antenatal course run by the NCT. The ideal time to book is after your 12 week scan.

There is more information on the classes here.

https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/travelling/

Please note we do not provide fit-to-fly letters or certificates.

Please note we do not provide fit to fly letters or certificates.

Royal Berkshire Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership are here to listen to your voice. We work together with the Royal Berkshire Hospital (RBH) to drive positive change and improve local maternity services. We listen, respond and act to ensure that you are supported in a safe, equitable and kind way throughout your maternity journey. 

If you are suffering from domestic abuse this leaflet provides information where you can get help and support.

There is lots of useful information and leaflets here helping to prepare for birth

There is lots of information and advice for feeding your baby here 

Expressing colostrum in pregnancy

You can find lots more information about what happens next and care after birth here

Find out more about safer sleep for babies - https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/

Here are some pregnancy research projects that you may interest you or wish to take part in:

• Spontaneous Preterm Birth
• Tommy's National Rainbow Clinic Study
• PANDA - prevention of anaemia in pregnancy
• Raised Blood Pressure in Pregnancy
• Helping keeping babies safe in pregnancy
• Smoking in pregnancy
• Pre-eclampsia in pregnancy

You will be able to get your maternity certificate after your 20th week of pregnancy - this will be offered to you during your routine antenatal appointments between 25-28 weeks with your community midwife. If you need proof of pregnancy prior to collecting your Mat B1, you may use your ultrasound scan report. 

The Maternity Certificate (MAT B1) enables a pregnant woman to claim:

• Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) from her employer
• Maternity Allowance (MA) from Jobcentre Plus
• Sure Start Maternity Grant (SSMG) from Jobcentre Plus

The certificate:

• Verifies the pregnancy
• confirms the date of the expected week of confinement (EWC)
• confirms the actual date of birth when completed after confinement

Information about child benefit